FUN HOME, ECLIPSED and More Set for Southern Rep Theatre's 31st Season

Southern Rep Theatre announces its 2017-2018 Mainstage Season, featuring FUN HOME by Lisa Kron, Music by Jeanine Tesori, Based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel; MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon; AND TELL SAD STORIES OF THE DEATH OF QUEENS by Tennessee Williams; ALL THE WAY by Robert Schenkkan; and ECLIPSED by Danai Gurira.

Producing Artistic Director Aimée Hayes says: "I am thrilled about this upcoming season because Southern Rep Theatre has been purposefully exploring the meaning and process of self-realization especially in light of our imminent move to St. Rose de Lima Church on Bayou Road. How and when should we stand up for ourselves or for what we believe in? In love, in war, in peace...? What do we risk by making the right choice even when it is the most difficult choice? These themes surface via the plays in myriad ways from the charmingly funny vexations of Jane Austen's singles to a young girl divining her father's secrets to a larger-than-life US President seeking to make history. Similarly, our Tennessee Williams offering features a famous French Quarter drag queen coming into her own during an unforgettable Mardi Gras; and in a turbulent story of war, a young woman chooses between power and peace. The choices these characters make will astonish, vex, and inspire you. Our 31st season promises to captivate, enthrall and beguile."

"We are pleased to offer a new Priority Patron membership benefit for 2017-18: the option to Pick Four plays or to join as an All-Access member," adds Managing Director Jenny Windstrup. "All-Access members receive discounted entry to all five Mainstage plays, plus free entry to the 2018 NEW PLAY BACCHANAL. All Priority Patrons enjoy the best prices and numerous customer service benefits, including fee-free ticket exchanges, reserved seats, and discounted guest tickets. We encourage returning and new Priority Patrons to book their memberships before May 1, 2017 in order to take advantage of the lowest 'early bird' prices."

Additionally, Southern Rep Theatre announces The Southern Rep Theatre Community Table, an initiative that provides theatre and arts programming to New Orleans in order to foster community engagement at multiple levels. Led by Producer of Artistic and Community Engagement Lauren E. Turner, The Southern Rep Community Table is part of Southern Rep Theatre's mission to reflect and represent the diversity of New Orleans by prioritizing the insight of local community members who know New Orleans best. There are five access points to the Community Table: Table Builders, the Lagniappe Stage Performing Series, The Southern Rep Theatre Acting Company, Play Dates, and Table Talks.

Table Builders:
An inaugural group of community members who assist in planning programming related to the season's offerings.

Southern Rep Theatre Acting Company:
A pilot program bringing together diverse New Orleans actors who will participate in readings, plays, and other performance opportunities.

Lagniappe Stage Performance Series:
Local performers and musicians perform for free every Friday immediately before the Mainstage play.

Table Talks:
Pre-Performance discussions in which community members have an opportunity to discuss and debate topics related to theatre making and related issues.

PlayDates:
Interactive dates between varied local organizations and venues around the city to ensure that regardless of location, the Mainstage plays are accessible to those who want to participate.

From Producer of Artistic and Community Engagement Lauren E. Turner: "We are saying, 'Hey everyone, let's talk about what is happening on stage and how it is related to what is going on in our communities. Come work with us, play with us, and let's create together.' This new programming is being developed with accessibility, diversity, and inclusion at its core. Southern Rep Theatre's mission has always included producing new work that reflects the diversity of New Orleans. As the Southern Rep Community Table continues to develop we will look to our community members to help us shape and determine exactly what this programming will look like in the future."

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ABOUT THE 2017-18 MAINSTAGE SEASON:
Southern Rep Theatre is in residence at Loyola University's Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.

FUN HOME by Lisa Kron
Regional Premiere
Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel
Directed by Blake Coheley
Music Director Jefferson Turner
September 27 - October 22, 2017

Five-time Tony Award Winning Musical FUN HOME comes to New Orleans. A young girl discovers her sexuality while struggling to relate to her obsessive, troubled father. FUN HOME is a heart-gripping look into the lives of a father and daughter coming to terms with their own identities in tragically divergent ways.

MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY
by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon
Directed by Aimée Hayes and Jeffrey Gunshol
Featuring Sean Glazebrook
November 29 - December 22, 2017

Revisit your favorite Jane Austen characters from Pride and Prejudice this holiday season! Bookish Mary Bennet, the oft-forgotten middle child, has an opportunity to find a mate who can match her intellect while visiting Mr. and Mrs. Darcy at Pemberley over the holidays. Will she step out of The Shadows of her sisters as a woman in her own right?

AND TELL SAD STORIES OF THE DEATH OF QUEENS by Tennessee Williams
Directed by Ricky Graham
Presented in partnership with the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
March 21 - April 1, 2018

AND TELL SAD STORIES OF THE DEATH OF QUEENS oozes with the feverish yearning that is a hallmark of Tennessee Williams. Unfolding acRoss One act set in New Orleans, a successful drag queen picks up a rough sailor who she spoils with money and attention. When he leaves her suddenly, it's up to the two queens who live above her to offer consolation.

ALL THE WAY by Robert SchenkkanIn partnership with Loyola University Department of Theatre Arts and Music
Regional Premiere
Directed by Aimée Hayes
Featuring Jason Kirkpatrick as LBJ
February 28 - March 25, 2018

ALL THE WAY is the story of the most masterful political balancing act of the 20th Century. The play delivers an eye-opening portrait of President Lyndon B. Johnson as he harangues, harasses, and haggles with members of the 88th United States Congress and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in order to pass his signature legislation, the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

ECLIPSED by Danai Gurira
Regional Premiere
May 30 - June 24, 2018

Set near the end of the Second Liberian Civil War, ECLIPSED tells the story of five Liberian women and their will to survive in the midst of grim violence at the hands of their polygamous husband. Centered around a fifteen-year old girl made to be a wife too soon, ECLIPSED is a raw coming-of-age tale that will grip audiences from beginning to end.

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Season tickets are now available by purchasing a 2017-18 Priority Patron Membership online or by calling the box office at 504-522-6545. Prices increase May 1, 2017. All purchases are subject to box office fees, and all dates, venues, and details are subject to change. Visit www.southernrep.com for the most current pricing and schedule information, as well as a full list of Priority Patron benefits.

Through April 30, 2017, All-Access memberships, which provide access to five mainstage plays and a free NEW PLAY BACCHANAL pass, are available for $160 / $140 (seniors). Pick Four memberships, including entry to four 2017-18 Mainstage performances, are available for $130 / $110 (seniors). Prices increase on May 1, 2017.

Regular single tickets (not yet on sale) start at $40, subject to increase. Southern Rep Theatre offers comprehensive single-ticket discounts for seniors, students, military families, young professionals, teachers, and theatre professionals. Visit www.southernrep.com for more information.

Entering its 31st Season, Southern Rep Theatre, an independent non-profit professional theatre, produces award-winning productions that are engaging, educational, and accessible for audiences of every socioeconomic background. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Aimée Hayes and Managing Director Jenny Windstrup, Southern Rep Theatre's Mainstage Season work includes bold World and Regional Premieres as well as the best of Broadway, off-Broadway, and classic plays. Southern Rep Theatre's Lagniappe Series and "School to Stage Pipeline" of Arts Education Programs reflect the company's ongoing commitment to new play development by providing resources for students and burgeoning theatre professionals and supporting a more diverse theatre community. A mainstay of New Orleans' arts community, Southern Rep Theatre continues to build on its unique position as a sector leader, creative force, and important resource for contemporary American theatre.

For more information about Southern Rep or to purchase tickets, visit www.southernrep.com or call the box office at 504-522-6545. Southern Rep Theatre is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @southern_rep.

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